Saint Joan of Arc Church

The church's 13 Renaissance stained glass windows were miraculously saved from destruction in World War II. In 1939, just months before the bombing that destroyed the original Church of Saint-Vincent, the French Service des Monuments Historiques carefully removed and stored all the windows in a secure location. When the church was bombed in 1944, only the walls crumbled – the precious 16th-century glass survived intact and waited 35 years to find its new home.

Contrary to popular belief, architect Louis Arretche's unusual design wasn't intended to look like flames commemorating Joan of Arc's martyrdom – the primary inspiration was actually a traditional Norman fishing boat turned upside down. This design pays homage to the region's maritime heritage and mirrors how many medieval Norman churches were originally built using the same shipbuilding techniques and overturned hull shapes.

The exact spot where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431 is not inside the church, but in a small memorial garden called 'Le Bûcher' (The Pyre) just north of the building. A stark 20-meter cross marks the precise location where the 19-year-old was executed before a crowd of thousands, and ground inscriptions recount the key moments of her trial and martyrdom.